| Page 2 of 2 < |
Alliance Invites In Croatia, Albania
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
The decision to admit Albania and Croatia takes NATO deeper into territory that was at the heart of bloody conflicts after the breakup of Yugoslavia began in 1991. Croatia fought a war for four years against Serb rebels aided by the Serb-dominated Yugoslav forces. Albania was a key player as ethnic Albanians in the Serb province of Kosovo fought for independence, culminating in a 78-day air war led by NATO in 1999. After nine years under international protection, Kosovo declared statehood in February.
Two other former Yugoslav republics, Bosnia and Montenegro, are now seeking to open preliminary discussions with NATO about eventual membership, a process called "intensified dialogue." With Bush's support, the NATO leaders Wednesday night reached a consensus to grant those requests.
But Macedonia appeared to be left on the roadside. Although all NATO leaders agreed that the tiny landlocked country of 2 million had met NATO standards, the alliance operates by consensus and Greek objections to its name were enough to thwart its ambitions for now. Greece considers the name Macedonia to be an implied threat to its territorial integrity because it has a province by the same name.
Most nations, including the United States, have recognized Macedonia by that name, although Greece and the United Nations still call it the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM. Appathurai said NATO would readily bring in Macedonia if it ever resolves the dispute with Greece.
The debate over Ukraine and Georgia produced a more serious schism within the alliance. The two countries were not seeking membership invitations now, but rather programs known as membership action plans, under which they would restructure government institutions and armed forces over a period of years with an eye toward an eventual place in the alliance.
Germany and France were opposed, arguing that this would be an unnecessary provocation to Russia and that the two were not ready because most Ukrainians are against joining NATO and Georgia has not resolved internal conflicts with two breakaway regions.
Bush, who had the backing of nine East European members, argued passionately for the two former Soviet republics, stopping in Ukraine on his way here to demonstrate support and then giving a speech and making two media appearances to press his case.
"Ukraine and Georgia is a very difficult issue for some nations here," he said during a session with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. "It's not for me. I think that these nations are qualified nations to apply for membership application."
Appathurai said other NATO countries agreed in principle but disagreed on timing. The question, he said, was "not of whether but when."
